The sound of the explosions finally stopped.
More than five hundred projectiles had descended at such a pace that most of the audience had failed to keep track of them. All they had seen were flames, explosions, shattered stone, and a silver figure moving through the battlefield as though the storm itself could not touch him.
They had not witnessed something like this in a very long time.
A human had challenged a dragon and survived.
Not for a few exchanges or by relying on luck.
He had endured the Dragon King's full assault and remained standing.
The realization alone left many of the spectators stunned, but Astaroth was among the most surprised.
Yet what caught his attention most was the expression on the human's face.
There was no fear in it.
Only the raw hunger to survive and win.
It was so intense that even Astaroth felt a faint knot of hope forming in his chest.
